Now that it's November, the holiday season is kicking into gear. Calendars are starting to be filled with festivities and planning has begun for shopping, baking, and decorating. When you need a break from the action, take a few minutes to relax and enjoy the online resources we share here.

This November issue includes a warning about Pinterest account takeovers by spammers. We hope it doesn't happen to you but if it does, you'll know what to do. Speaking of Pinterest, we're launching a NEW section that features cool images to pin; enjoy the inspiration! You'll also find timely websites to explore, learn how to compress files, be treated to a couple of amazing videos, and more.

The goal of each of our eNewsletters is to keep our subscribers informed regarding their Internet connection and to improve their Internet experience. We think you'll find this information interesting.

To see what's inside this issue, simply scroll down the eNewsletter or click on the links within the index to the left. Thanks for reading!

- The eCurrents Team

Scam Alert – Pinterest Hack Feeds Spam To Twitter And Facebook

Pinterest users have reported widespread account takeovers in which spammers post images promoting things such as work-at-home schemes and diet pills. The spammers delete boards, rename them, and change the contents. Since Pinterest users often link their accounts with other social networks like Twitter and Facebook, the spam images are showing up on those networks as well.

Pinterest advises customers who have had their account taken over to change their password immediately and warns that "misleading third party apps" and "web browser extensions" often play a part in account takeover incidents. The site also advises users to have a unique password for each social networking site.

As a thank you to all 3 Rivers subscribers, we are throwing everyone's name into a drawing for one of five $50 gift cards from the QVC shopping channel—just in time for the holidays!

If you're a current subscriber to 3 Rivers local telephone, High Speed Internet or 3RTV Digital Video or Cable TV as of November 1, 2012, you're automatically entered!

No purchase or sign up necessary!

We'll pick one name each Friday through December 7, and will post the winners on Facebook. Good luck and thank you for your continued patronage!

Winning subscribers' 3 Rivers account(s) must be up to date and in good standing to claim gift card. You must have a QVC customer number to redeem the gift card. If you don't have a QVC number, you need to contact QVC at 800-345-1515 or go to QVC.com to get one. 3 Rivers cannot set up a QVC number for you.

This Month's FAQ – What's The Difference Between Lifecasting And Lifestreaming?

Question: What's the difference between lifecasting and lifestreaming?

Answer: Lifecasting is uninterrupted streaming of an individual's daily life, captured via wearable technology. Lifecasting is distinct from frequent webcam postings in that the camera moves with the individual and often streams directly to the Internet, removing the need for uploading.

Lifestreaming is the practice of collecting an online user's disjointed online presence in one central location or site. Lifestreaming services bring photos, videos, bookmarks, microblog posts, and blog posts from a single user into one place using RSS. Friendfeed and Tumblr are examples of lifestreaming services.

Denture Your Dogwww.pedigree.com – Check this site out for guaranteed grins. Simply upload a photo of your dog and add your choice of teeth, costume, background, and text-to-speech message. Then share your crazy canine creation on Facebook or another popular site.

Real-Time Social Media Searchsocialmention.com – What are people online saying—right this minute—about the topics you're interested in? Find out by entering a topic and getting real-time results from blogs, social media networks, and more. You can also sign up for free Social Media Alerts via email.

Gallery of Google Doodleswww.google.com – Google recently celebrated its 14th birthday, making it a good time to look back and enjoy the site's famous Doodles. You can browse through its extensive Doodles collection here, learn about the program, and even buy merchandise.

Christmas Cookie Collectionwww.tasteofhome.com – Find recipes here for every type of Christmas cookie, from elaborately decorated cut outs to the quick-and-easy drop variety. Each recipe has a color photo plus reviews and ratings to help you plan your holiday baking. It's one sweet resource!

New Uses For Old Thingswww.realsimple.com – Recycling isn't just about plastic jugs and aluminum cans. You can also find new uses for items sitting around your house, known as repurposing. This site features favorite repurposing ideas, like using an old matchbox to store needles and thread for a sewing kit.

Shake It UpThis fun and educational video shows how different animals quickly shake themselves dry. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology studied 16 soggy species including mice, dogs, tigers, and bears. Boy, can they move!

Home Movies at DisneylandShot in 1956, one year after Disneyland opened, this home movie beautifully captures the California theme park's early days. Posted by Jeff Altman, it was shot by his grandfather and includes footage of his grandmother meeting Walt Disney.

When you attach large files to emails, they can be slow for you to send as well as slow for your recipients to receive. That's why it makes sense to sometimes compress large files using built-in Windows or Mac software. Here's how to do it:

Windows

Put all the files you would like to compress in a folder. To create a new folder, right-click on the screen and scroll down to "New," and then to "Folder." Type in the name of the folder in the space where the text is highlighted.

Click and drag the files you want to compress into the new folder.

Right-click on the folder, select "Send To," and then click on "Compressed (zipped) Folder." A dialog box will appear that shows you the progress of the compressing files. Wait as the files are compressed.

Attach the compressed folder with the extension .zip to your email.

Mac OS

Move the files you would like to compress into a folder. To create a new folder, open a Finder window, select the File menu, and click on "New Folder." Type a name for the folder in the space underneath the folder icon where the text is highlighted.

Click and drag the files you want to compress into the new folder.

Right-click on the folder and select "Create Archive." Wait as the files are compressed. You will see a dialog box indicating the progress of the action.

We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the happenings here. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins, please see the links at the bottom of this email to manage your preferences.